Ranked #178

Dennou Coil

OVERVIEW (10)
Dennou Coil is probably one of the most artfully constructed anime I've watched and yet it remains light-hearted and fun throughout. There were only a few episodes of "filler" but even these were pretty fun to watch.

The opening theme, "Prism", caught my interest right away, but it was the concept and character development that really sucked me in. As the story progresses, it really deepens, and you realize that the digital "layer" of reality is actually an extended metaphor for something much more.

This is a fresh take on the age-old "growing up" plot line. The interaction between the kids is very believable as are their internal struggles, which are far more age-appropriate than in other series, without being too childish for older viewers. There are some life-questions that we never outgrow, and there is something refreshing about seeing them through these elementary-aged kids.

All in all, an excellent series. I would recommend this for viewers who like analyzing, as well as for those that just want to enjoy a Miyazaki-esque short series.


STORY (10)
The story is superbly written and deceptively simple. The pacing may start off somewhat slow, but each episode is building the story up to it's climax. In the end, the momentum picks up and all the pieces come together for an exciting conclusion.

Unlike other shows that rush to a disappointing end, Dennou Coil's ending is fast-paced, but very carefully planned out. The last two or three episodes are truly the culmination of all the character development in the series, so you really feel that in the end, the episodes are all part of one story. It's a satisfying package.

In addition, the story has a very realistic psychological level to it, which really resonated with me because I have seen it in real life. Isako's struggle is very accurately and artistically portrayed, giving the story a relevance that other stories do not have.

ART (9)
The art is similar in style to Miyazaki films. The color palette suits the story and characters perfectly. It's not as technically brilliant or polished as say, KyoAni, but it was very appropriate. The animation was consistent, staying true to it's style and to a high quality.

SOUND (8)
The opening theme, "Prism", instantly caught my attention. It sets a good tone for the mysteries of the cyber-world, and the tinge of loneliness that the two Yuukos feel. I have a bias in favor of Houko Kuwashima's voice, but most of the voice acting is very good.

Nothing extraordinary here, but good work none the less.

CHARACTER (10)
Character drives this story, and I think the development of all the characters is very good. I found the interactions to be very believable for children of that age, far more so than in most other anime featuring 10-11 year olds. They were not flat personality stereotypes, but very well rounded. For example, the way Yasako is generally very gentle, but a little less so with her younger sister, Kyouko. That was a very well balanced characterization without over-exaggerating the difference in treatment. (No over-the-top tsundere, bipolar action here).

All the character relationships are excellently rendered in subtle details. I actually want to rate this category 12 out of 10. A++

ENJOYMENT (10)
As someone who loves to analyze literature, this story was a huge treat. But even without that, it's just an enjoyable story to watch. The characters are very likable in their imperfections, and the story maintains a light-hearted humor to it that made it a pleasure to watch. read more

TITLE: Dennou Coil

ANIME: Dennou Coil was directed by Mitsuo Iso (well known for his key animation work on early Ghibli movies and Neon Genesis Evangelion) and was produced by Madhouse (well-known for their work on Death Note and Paranoia Agent). It ran on Japanese TV from May 12th, 2007 till December 1st, 2007 and, as of the time of this writing, has not been licensed Stateside.

STORY: The year is 2026, eleven years after the technology to turn the internet into augmented reality by the use of immersive "cyberglasses" was developed. Yuko "Yasako" Okonogi, a young girl in sixth grade, moves to Daikoku City, the center of the technology behind the glasses, and is strongarmed by her grandmother into joining her "investigation agency", composed of children with powerful illegal software codes and tools. On her first day in town, she runs into Yuko "Isako" Amasawa, a cold, aloof master hacker chasing a mystery in Daikoku City, that will soon involve both Yukos and their friends...

Dennou Coil is probably one of the best shows I've watched in a good long time. This show has been in development for about ten years, and with the incredible subtlety of this entire show, I can believe it. Every aspect of the technology, how the world works, and every tiny detail that one can think of for this blends together to make the world seem incredibly believable, if not possible in just a few years' time. It's just futuristic enough to seem amazing, yet grounded enough in reality to seem incredibly possible.

The plot and characters in this are incredibly well-constructed as well. Characters are slowly developed through various interactions and their relationships to others in episodes, and even though characters may not take a prominent role for a few episodes, they're always there in the background. And the plot itself is intricately woven; the smallest details from the earliest episodes, which seem like throwaways, come back to play in full force in the last half of the show. The first third of the show establishes the basics of the world and characters, then comes a brief filler arc that slowly brings things to the fore, and then the last third of the show takes everything that's come before and takes it into far darker places than everything up until this point would have you believe was possible. The final episodes of the show are probably some of the darkest I've seen in a show aimed towards a younger audience to date, but, regardless, resolve amazingly well.

ART: Dennou Coil has a bit simpler character design than other shows that Madhouse has done; the kids and adults are a bit more angular, and are a bit less intricately designed than, say, characters from Death Note. However, their traditional realism shows through in the interaction of the virtual environment and the real environment; incredible amounts of detail are put into the various software codes and tools that the children use, along with how they manifest (and yes, some will call similarities on some of the patterns that show in the hackers' codings and the arrays in Fullmetal Alchemist, but really, let's not be nitpicky here).

MUSIC: The background music for this series doesn't particularly stand out, but, regardless, is a well-done score, and worth a listen to. The OP and ED are done by the same singer, Ayako Ikeda, and are some of the best opening and ending songs I've heard in a long while, the OP and its eerieness in general especially.

SEIYUU: Fumiko Orikasa (well-known for her roles in Hellsing as Seras and in Saikano as Chise) takes a starring role in this as Yasako and does an incredible job in the role. Otherwise, all the other seiyuu in this production do a solid job.

LENGTH: Dennou Coil was meticulously planned, I think, to be just the right length; not too long, so that it wouldn't drag, but not too short, so that there wouldn't be information overload. No complaints here, in general, a wonderful job in planning - then again, ten years in development does that to a show.

OVERALL: One of the best shows that I've seen in a good long time, with incredible amounts of detail, and well-constructed plots and characters, and solid background music, art, and seiyuu.

An underappreciated gem of the 2007 season; watch it.

STORY: 10/10
ART: 9/10
MUSIC: 9/10
SEIYUU: 9/10
LENGTH: 10/10

OVERALL: 47/50; 94% (A) read more